Woman arrested after botched neutering job

Daniel Tepfer

Updated 9:35 pm, Wednesday, January 23, 2013

TRUMBULL -- There will be no Jill in Jack's future, but at least the small black kitten is alive after an apparent botched neutering job by a Trumbull woman.

Lisa Richards, 48, of Hemlock Trail, was charged with cruelty to animals Wednesday, after allegedly performing the operations herself rather than sending animals to licensed veterinarians, police said.

"Jack is doing great now, but it took a lot to get him better," said Jack's owner, Lisa Ottoshavett of Newtown. "When we got him back from her, he had this large hole in his abdomen."

Richards could not be reached for comment.

Ottoshavett had adopted Jack from Richards last June, with Richards agreeing to have the kitten neutered first, police said.

But when Ottoshavett arrived to pick up the cat the next day, she didn't think he looked well. When she got Jack home, she noticed he had a hole in his lower abdomen. Police said Richards told Ottoshavett not to bring the cat to a veterinarian and that she would take care of the problem.

But Ottoshavett ignored her plea and brought Jack to a vet who treated the cat for $1,985.45.

Richards later claimed the cat had been neutered by a veterinarian, police said, but that vet denied ever seeing Jack. The vet pointed out that Jack's underbelly had not been shaved, which is standard procedure in a neutering operation.

"As far as I know, she did the surgery herself," Ottoshavett said of Richards. "She has IVs and everything in her house."